Retreat your heart to nature’s beauty

We put a lot of emphasis on choosing nature locations for our retreats that are boasted with charm and beauty and are especially unique in the time of year we visit them

Autumn or Spring in the belgium ardennes

The Ardennes need little introduction. Situated only 3 hours drive south of Amsterdam, this region is a collection of green valleys, rolling hills, and lush forrest. In the heart of the Ardennes we will be staying in Radhadesh which is a special spiritual community situated in a beautiful location in the Ourthe valley off the beautiful town of Durbuy.

The Ourthe winds its way across the folds in the Ardennes plateau, cutting a deep course, before widening out in the plains, then flowing into the Meuse at Liege. A long-distance marked footpath (170km long) crosses the valley running from Angleur near Liege to Houffalize in the province of Luxembourg. The area is a great place for sports enthusiasts, with ample opportunities for kayaking, climbing, biking, and walking.

Around Radhadesh you'll find quiet countryside as well as a number of pictueresque small towns and settlements

Around Radhadesh you’ll find quiet countryside as well as a number of pictueresque small towns and settlements with charming streets and stone houses. There are several places where you can get a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. These places include Belvédère des Six Ourthe, Le Hérou, and Point de Vue des Crestelles.

There’s a beautiful network of caves closeby that is well worth a visit. There is a great variety of concretions, pools, and passageways to explore which are both mysterious and striking.

Spring or late summer in the French Pyrenees

Rivehaute is a quiet village located one hour from the white beaches of Biarritz on the Atlantic Ocean, one hour from the peaks of the Pyrenees mountains and the Spanish border – a wonderful area for kayaking or canoeing down the winding rivers, bike rides in the hills and hikes in the mountains. The lush green landscape is the most varied and dramatically beautiful in all of France. If you can stay a few days longer to take advantage of the area, Bordeaux and the Guggenheim Museum at Bilbao, Spain are only 3 hours away,Toulouse only two.

The lush green landscape of the Atlantic Pyrenees is the most varied and dramatically beautiful in all of France.

Biarritz and Pau airports are 1 hour away; Toulouse is 2 hours and Bordeaux 3 hours away. Discount airlines like Transavia, City Jet, Easy Jet and Ryanair fly here several days a week. The nearest train station is Orthez. It’s advisable to rent a car while you’re here.